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Sorting Hat
Hogwarts School }}The '''Sorting Hat '''was a sentient hat which placed students of Hogwarts Schoolin a school House: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Biography Invention Legend says the Sorting Hat was invented by Godric Gryffindor when it was a normal hat. The founders of Hogwarts School needed a new way of placing new students in their houses when they were long dead, and Gryffindor came up with the idea of using a hat. The Hat was kept in the Headteacher's room until the next Start-of-Term Feast. At the feast, the Hat will sing a story of the founding of Hogwarts in front of the Great Hall, and it was capable of placing warnings in the lyrics when it feels it needed to. The Hat able to let the Sword of Gryffindor be pulled from the Hat when it thinks it found anyone worthy. 1991 In 1991, the Hat made many notable choices for new students. It thought the mind of Harry Potter was interesting, and a tough one to understand. It thought he had talent and a need to prove himself and when Harry told it not to place him in Slytherin, the Hat told him Slytherin would help him achieve fame and glory. However it may have noticed the piece of Voldemort's soul which was latched onto Harry. It then took Harry's hope to heart, and placed him in Gryffindor. For Ronald Weasley, it picked Gryffindor in just one second and it thought Hermione Granger was well suited for Ravenclaw, but in time it was obvious she wanted to be bold and found friendship and bravery of higher important than books and being smart, and was placed in Gryffindor instead. The Hat took no time in placing Draco Malfoy in Slytherin and yet it was nearly another rare Hatstall for Neville Longbottom. Neville hoped to he placed in Hufflepuff and fought the Hat who thought he would do well in Gryffindor. Neville was intimidated by Gryffindor's reputation and yet he lost the fight and was placed in Gryffindor. It later proved to be the right choice, when even the Sword of Gryffindor thought Neville to be worthy. In 1991, the lyrics for the Hat's introduction were : Oh you may not think I'm pretty, But don't judge on what you see, I'll eat myself if you can find A smarter hat than me. You can keep your bowlers black, Your top hats sleek and tall, For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat And I can cap them all. There's nothing hidden in your head The Sorting Hat can't see, So try me on and I will tell you Where you ought to be. You might belong in Gryffindor, Where dwell the brave at heart, Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart; You might belong in Hufflepuff, Where they are just and loyal, Those patient Hufflepuffs are true And unafraid of toil; Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind, Where those of wit and learning, Will always find their kind; Or perhaps in Slytherin You'll make your real friends, Those cunning folks use any means To achieve their ends. So put me on! Don't be afraid! And don't get in a flap! You're in safe hands (though I have none) For I'm a Thinking Cap! 1992-1993 In 1992, Harry Potter went to find the Headteacher and while he was waiting for him, he noticed the Hat in the room and thought about asking whether the Hat placed him in the right house. Harry had found out he could speak Parseltongue and the school thought he was the Heir of Slytherin. He went to ask the Hat but it knew what Harry wanted to say and told him it was right - he would have done well in Slytherin. Harry then told the Hat it was wrong. In May 1993, Harry found the Chamber of Secrets and the young Tom Riddle preserved by Tom Riddle's Diary was planning to kill Harry. Fawkes took the Sorting Hat to help Harry in the Chamber but Tom laughed when he saw the old Hat and thought it was useless. However, the Basilisk's tail made the Hat fall into Harry's lap. The Hat was Harry's only hope and he placed it on his head, asking it to help him. The next thing he knew, there was a thud which hurt him and when he looked in the Hat, he found the Sword of Gryffindor which helped Harry win the fight. Harry later took the Hat back to the Headteacher, placing it on the table. He later found out why the Hat placed him in Gryffindor, for the Hat takes choices into account. 1994 When Harry Potter, who was attending the first Start-of-Term Feast since he started, wondered why the Hat was singing with new lyrics, Ron said it invents a new one every year and probably spent each school year thinking of what to sing next September. In 1994, the lyrics for the Hat's introduction were : A thousand years or more ago When I was newly sewn, There lived four wizards of renown, Whose names are still well known: Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor, Fair Ravenclaw, from glen, Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad, Shrewd Slytherin, from fen. They shared a wish, a hope, a dream, They hatched a daring plan To educate young sorcerers Thus Hogwarts School began. Now each of these four founders Formed their own house, for each Did value different virtues In the ones they had to teach. By Gryffindor, the bravest were Prized far beyond the rest; For Ravenclaw, the cleverest Would always be the best; For Hufflepuff, hard workers were Most worthy of admission; And power-hungry Slytherin Loved those of great ambition. While still alive they did divide Their favourites from the throng, Yet how to pick the worthy ones When they were dead and gone? Twas Gryffindor who found the way, He whipped me off his head The founders put some brains in me So I could choose instead! Now slip me snug about your ears, I've never yet been wrong, I'll have a look inside your mind And tell where you belong! 1995 In 1995, the Hat placed a warning in it's introduction for students of every house to work together now Hogwarts was in danger, for Voldemort and the Death Eaters were back. It told the tale of the broken friendship between Gryffindor and Slytherin, and how important it was to not crumble from within and fight together. Nearly Headless Nick told the students the Hat placed warnings in the introduction before. The lyrics were : In times of old, when I was new, And Hogwarts barely started, The founders of our noble school Thought never to be parted. United by a common goal, They had the selfsame yearning To make the world's best magic school And pass along their learning. "Together we will build and teach" The four good friends decided. And never did they dream that they Might some day be divided. For were there such friends anywhere As Slytherin and Gryffindor? Unless it was the second pair Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, So how could it have gone so wrong? How could such friendships fail? Why, I was there, so I can tell The whole sad, sorry tale. Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those Whose ancestry's purest." Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose Intelligence is surest." Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those With brave deeds to their name." Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot And treat them just the same." These differences caused little strife When first they came to light. For each of the four founders had A house in which they might Take only those they wanted, so, For instance, Slytherin Took only pure-blood wizards Of great cunning just like him. And only those of sharpest mind Were taught by Ravenclaw While the bravest and the boldest Went to daring Gryffindor. Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest and taught them all she knew, Thus, the houses and their founders Maintained friendships firm and true. So Hogwarts worked in harmony for several happy years, but then discord crept among us feeding on our faults and fears. The Houses that, like pillars four had once held up our school now turned upon each other and divided, sought to rule. And for a while it seemed the school must meet an early end. what with duelling and with fighting and the clash of friend on friend. And at last there came a morning when old Slytherin departed and though the fighting then died out he left us quite downhearted. And never since the founders four were whittled down to three have the Houses been united as they once were meant to be. And now the Sorting Hat is here and you all know the score: I sort you into Houses because that is what I'm for. But this year I'll go further, listen closely to my song: though condemned I am to split you still I worry that it's wrong, Though I must fulfil my duty and must quarter every year still I wonder whether sorting may not bring the end I fear. Oh, know the perils, read the signs, the warning history shows, for our Hogwarts is in danger from external, deadly foes And we must unite inside her or we'll crumble from within I have told you, I have warned you... let the Sorting now begin. 1998 The Hat appeared in the Battle of Hogwarts when Voldemort brought it to the courtyard in a standoff with Neville Longbottom. He told everyone there would be no need for a Hat in the future, because Slytherin would be the only House needed at Hogwarts. He put Neville in a Full Body-Bind Curse, placed the Hat on Neville's head and put it in flames. Neville broke free of the Body-Bind Curse and the Sword of Gryffindor appeared in the Hat for him. The Hat would have continued sorting new students into houses when the Second Wizarding War was over. Appearance The Hat looked very old and was patched and frayed. There was a tear along the brim which opens like a mouth, from where it speaks in a timid voice to the wearer, but screams their house for the entire school to hear. Character The Hat was very wise and clever, and skilled at Legilimency. However the Hat could be wrong and yet was very stubborn when confronted with the concept. Author's Notes The Sorting Hat was not part of early drafts of the books and was only thought of when Rowling's original ideas never worked out. There were many of them, but Rowling noted her idea of a magic machine became very complicated and the idea of four founder statues in the Entrance Hall would need improving. Eventually, she wrote down non-magic ways of placing students in houses and thought of the idea of names out of a hat. From there, she invented the magic Sorting Hat. Notes and sources Category:Characters Category:Wizarding objects